Tide-motor.



PATBNTED SEPT. 22, 1903.

A. W. FREDSGN.

TIDE MOTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 1a, 1903.*

2 SHEETS-SHEET L HO MODEL.

No. '239,538. PATENTE) SEPT."2-2,1903. A. W. 'Ransom TIDE MoToR.

APPLOATION FILED .TULY 1B. 1903..

.N0 MGDEL. Z SHEETS-SHE-ET- 2.

^ cal section taken centrally through the drum.

`UNITED y No. masse.

STATES atented September 22, 1903".

PATENT OEEicE.

TIDE-IVIOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,538, dated September 22, 1903.

Application filed July 18,1903.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that LAXEL WFREDSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in Everett, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tide-Motors,of which the following'is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of motors in which the ebb and iiow of the tide are intended to furnish the power; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a side elevation of my improved motor, the ground and wall being indicated in section. Fig. 2 is a cross verti- Fig. 3 is a section of the drum, taken on line 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail, in end elevation, of the locking mechanism.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts. p

a represents'a portion of the ocean; h, the land, and c a wall built for the purpose of allowing the connection between the float and the part located on the land to be as short as possible.

d represents a frame supported on a suitable base c, sustained by the ground, said frame supporting pivotally at f a walkingbeam g of suitable construction and preferably braced, as shown. The long arm of this lever or walking-beam extends toward and over the Water and is pivoted at its outer end at h to the frame z', which is rigidly secured to a iioat it of any suitable construction. The short arm of the walking-beam is pivotally secured at j to the upright Z, which is rigid with the upper cross-piece m, making a portion of a frame which consistsof the crosspieces m, the vertical stationary bar n, and the movable bar 1J. The barn is provided with internalA downwardlyextending rackteeth, and the bar p is provided with internal upwardly-extending rack-teeth, said bar p extending through suitable slots or ways r in the cross-piecesl m and being held up to its work by springs sin said slots bearin g against said bar. Between the two bars and in engagement with the internal rack-teeth thereon is the ratchet-pinion t, supported by a suitserial 110,166,161. (No modem able frame u, said ratchet-pinion being rigid with the shaft fu, supported by the frame.

Mounted on the same shaft, but not rigid therewith, is a drum fw, containing a plurality of coiled springs zu, one end of each of which is secured to the shaft and the other In practical operation as the tide rises and falls the iioat lifts and depresses the outer end ofthe walking-beam g and its inner end depresses and lifts the frame m n p, and whether said frame is depressed or lifted the pinion t turns in the same direction and communicates motion to the shaft 'v5 This shaft operates to contract the springs until said springs communicate motion in the same direction to the spindle w, and hence to the drivingwheel 3. Under ordinary circumstances, as in the day-time, these springs simply serve as connections between the shaft and drum; but at night, (or perhaps on other occasions,) when it may be foundundesirable to utilize the power, the driving-wheel and drum may be stopped and locked by swinging the pawl z into engagement with the teeth on the ratchet-wheel z ,and while the drum is thus locked the movement of the tide continues, by means of the mechanism m np t, to slowly turn the shaft c and slowly wind the coiled springs tc. Hence in the morning or whenever the locking-pawl sV is swung out of engagement with the ratchet wheel y the power thus stored by means of said spring is l again applied to the drum and driving-wheel and utilized. v

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tide-motor, a float; a walking-beam lor lever pivotally supported on the land; the frame comprising the cross-pieces m, and the internal ratchet rack-bars n, p, said ratchet rack-bars being provided with reversely pointing ratchet-teeth; the ratchet-piniont suitably supported and in engagement with ICQ both said rack-bars; a driving-wheel; and mechanism intermediate of the ratchet-pinion and the driving-wheel whereby motion is imparted to the latter, substantially as described.

2. In a tide-motor, a float; a walking-beam or lever pivotally supported on the land; the frame comprising the cross-pieces m, and the internal ratchet rack-bars n, p, said ratchet rack bars being provided with reverselypointing ratchet-teeth; the ratchet-pinion t suitably supported and in engagement with both said rack-bars, said rack-bars being held normally in engagement with the pinion by suitable springs; a driving-wheel; and mechanism intermediate of the ratchet-pinion and the driving-wheel whereby motion is imparted to the latter, substantially as set forth.

3. Ina tide-motor, a float; a Walking-beam or lever pivotally supported on the land; the frame comprising the reverse ratchet rackbars fn, p; a shaft; a ratchet-pinion rigid on said shaft and in engagement with said rackbars; a drum mounted on the shaft; springs within the drum and connected at one end therewith and at the other end with the shaft; a driving-wheel rigid with the drum; and mechanism for locking said drum, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence 0f two subscribing witnesses.

AXEL W. FREDSON.

Witnesses: Y

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, A. W. B. EMERY. 

